A Journey Through A Timeless Seam
by Thornnstar
Summary: Inspiration came from the Divine Comedy. Jareth goes through different realms to reach Sarah who has been taken to use as weapon against humanity. Jareth plays the role of Dante and Sarah as Beatrice. Also note that the story is inspired from the Divine Comedy and is not going to be a direct re-telling.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: The Divine Comedy is one of my favorite works, the imagery and the story line is one of the best of all times. I was deeply inspired to write a Labyrinth fan fiction based off of it.

* * *

In The Beginning:

Jareth walked along the dusty trail, he felt restless and uneasy. It had been years since he last saw Sarah and yet; he dreamed of her as vividly as if she were still here. Still running the Labyrinth in pursuit of her brother.

There was a sound off in the gloomy woods ahead. His walk had taken him to the outskirts of his kingdom. Rolling fog covered the ground, swarming between his feet; tendrils would rise and caress his cheek. As the trail grew on he lost his sense of direction, his mind was deeply troubled. He appeared in an open clearing, the sun found a small patch to shine down through the trees. The rest of the area was covered in darkness and shadows seemed to lick the sunlight.

He stood for a moment and waited in silence, there was a ripple in time. Three creatures shone through the shadows; a pelted forest leopard green in color with wicked fangs, a plains lion that was the size of a bear its orange eyes gleaming, and a she-wolf who looked at him with cold eyes. They each would saunter up to the light and growl then retreat back to the dark. They feared him and challenged him at the same time.

He gazed at their forms, all powerful fey can take the form of an animal. Jareth raised his head high and was going to transition into an owl when he saw giant wings descending from above.

A terrestrial landed within the rays of light his grey-ish skin glinting. He folded his wings against his back and gazed upon Jareth with creamy white eyes.

"I have come on behalf of one you love." his voice was raspy and came out of a hooked beak.

Jareth cocked his head to the right and glared at the terrestrial, "And just who may I ask are you? Why do you presume to know what I love? Your kind is cursed in another realm and it would be my pleasure to send you back."

The terrestrial cackled and shifted his clawed fingers, "That may be so, I would not have come if it were not for her pleas. Despite what you may think great king, us creatures of 'lesser' status can still show compassion." He gave a mock bow , rolling his eyes up at Jareth.

Jareth sneered, "say why you have come scum and make it quick."

"Your fair maiden Sarah has been taken from you."

"She was never mine..." Jareth looked off into the distance and then snapped back to glaring.

"She wished to be, for she does love you. It's either that are be consumed by The Darkness," The terrestrial hissed and moved closer to Jareth. "We do not rarely take pity so I suggest you come with me." He offered out his scaled hand and waited for Jareth to make a decision.

Jareth grasped his forearm and they vanished through a gaping hole that opened for a brief second; then shut behind them.

* * *

They landed in complete dark with shadows all around. A light flickered and then stayed in the palm of a mans hand. He gazed at Jareth with wise knowing eyes. One might say he was a much older version of Jareth himself.

"Father..." Jareth looked at him an awe, it had been so long. His father had been cursed a century or so ago. Undermined by his brother Oberon who had tried to take over the Underground.

"Your beloved is gifted my son, the powers of goddess flow through her. My brother seeks to use her to gain access to the Underground. Through the Underground he will try to take over the mortal realm. We have many realms to cross before we will reach where she is. You will see beasts, tortured souls, and some things in the deep that not even I can explain. Take courage and we shall walk together once again as we once did in the past." He held out his hand that wasn't forming the light and Jareth grasped it firmly.

They walked together through this formless wasteland waiting for some sign of light besides their own. A flicker appeared up near what seemed to be a horizon.

"What is this place?" Jareth asked. He had read much on other realms but hadn't had any need to travel to them himself.

"We are in the realm of tortured souls. This particular area is for those who have no place. They had no god and they answered to none." Jareth's father strode forward confidently. He was clothed in all black with a scarlet cloak closed with a golden broach. His white-blonde hair glinted from the glowing orb he held in his right hand. He paused and waited for Jareth to come beside him; Jareth was feeling sluggish. His head was pounding and his vision kept going in and out.

He looked to his father to voice his fears, for he rarely looked to anyone. His father was one person he always opened up to when he was younger and he had missed his guidance. "What if I can't do this? The past years have been weary, after you left I was there to take over much of what was left. Mother was a great help but after a while I decided to be on my own. I made a cold mask that I had behind but, I've felt broken since Sarah defeated me. My mask has cracked and i've struggled to rebuild it."

Merowech paused and looked at Jareth with a pondering gaze. "You have done well thus far, do not lose heart so quickly. Your love believes in you so in turn you must believe in her. She pleaded with me to come to you to rescue her. We are battling fate to win you what you most desire. Is that not worth fighting for?"

"Is she safe?" Jareth murmured his question quietly.

"She is attended by Oberon's two mistresses, they treat her coldly. Oberon keeps her trapped within a circle of power, sometimes he lets her walk around for a bit but, he fears her. He keeps her asleep for as long as possible by making her drink sleeping draughts." He said this with finality and continued onward in the dismal plain.

Light began to show ahead and a gleaming castle rose up from the ground. It gleamed pearly white and there were diaphanous shapes seen within. The rulers of the spirits, the star dancers, live within the castle. They are intelligent beings that don't speak with speech.

"Beware the pearly gates my son, these beings communicate through the mind. They're powers are unmatched if they choose to pick you as a target. Follow my tread and you shall not go astray from the ordained path."

They moved past the grand castle and onward into fields of volcanic ash and mountains rising in the distance. Jagged black rocks sprouted from the ground like flowers, Jareth tripped and sliced his hand open. He stared at it intently waiting for it to heal, the blood congealed. The wound did not heal the way that it should.

"These rocks break through any magic, any species. It would not do well to slip again." Merowech quickly scooped up some of the broekn rocks and handed them to Jareth. "I'm sure you may find these useful later on."

Jareth nodded and they started the arduous climb up the steep slopes.

* * *

A/N: This is a little taste of what i'm working on. Please review and tell me what you think, this is a work in progress. (Merowech is Jareth's fathers name)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, this is definitely turning out to be pretty good. :) don't forget to favorite and review 3

* * *

Sarah was struggling through the confines of her slumber. Her dreams were always troubled as if someone was trying to contact her but couldn't get through. She would awake in a chamber lit aglow by candle light. Two ladies fair of face with long flowing hair would come and attend to her needs. They kept talking in lilting voices trying to convince her to do one thing or another. They were not of importance; it was the imposing figure lounging upon his crumbling throne.

He would fix her with a piercing stare with his glowing green eyes. After he was attended to he would make a gesture with his hand and the two women would restrain Sarah back upon the stone table. They would then give her a liquid that had a purple hue to it. When she had drank every last drop she would slip back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Jareth and Merowech had reached a river churning and twisted through a dead valley. Jareth looked down and could see faces in the water; elves, far, fairies, trolls, dwarves, there even seemed to be a dragon. He glanced over at his father, "This is the river of the dead, we are in the land of the spirits."

"Aye, we must traveled the troubled road and watch all these accursed creatures. My brother hid his lair well, deep within this realm. He sat himself up on high in a shining citadel. There are stone steps at the base of a grand mountain; we shall climb them and eventually reach Oberon's lair."

They stood at the shore and waited, and waited. Eventually a dark wood boat with elegant design came gliding toward them; at its helm stood a frail looking fae man. He looked at them disdainfully, his hair was long and shining silver, wrapped around his waist. He was in a suit of smoke, it draped around him like a cloak. A wizened finger pointed towards them and the boat came abreast on the shore.

"Woe unto you, ye souls depraved!" his voice resounded sure and strong.

"We have come to fetch Oberon." Merowech declared and stepped into the boat giving the man two golden coins.

Jareth stepped into the boat behind Merowech and the man pushed the boat off the shore. They head towards the other side, the land looked the same but figures adorned the hillsides. Jareth looked back down into the river, looking upon the faces of those that died in war. The bodies would swarm and curl around one another, on many occasions it was hard to determine what race they were from.

Eventually they reached the distant shore and departed from their boat guide. Upon the banks were nude human spirits, those that were deemed for their misdeeds. These were those who were eternally tied to one another; tormented by wind demons. They would blow them every which way, come and tug on hair, rip wings, or chain the couples to metal poles for their amusement.

Jareth watched it all with a thought of horror, _'What if Sarah were to become like that...'_ he couldn't bear the thought.

Merowech and Jareth walked in silence until the gleeful screeches of the wind demons could no longer be heard.

"Do not stress about those whose fate has been dealt. These are but mortals paying their dues for the wrongs they have committed. Who is to say where we will end up when our time has come." Merowech wrapped his left arm around Jareth's shoulder, "come my boy we have many steps yet to take."

There are great pits of mud that come and replace the stoney hills. Dryads with skin dyed brown and eyes rimmed red ; flit from spirit to spirit uttering shrill cries. A great dog with many heads, black as night and eyes as red as its masters. He growls deep if a spirit tries to leave its place. Wind, hail, rain; they all twist and change and fall upon this stretch of land.

Jareth looked on as the spirit of a man ran out from the mud. A dryad shrieked and chased him; eventually catching him she changes her willowy hand into a stake and drives it through his chest. One, twice, thrice; the man screams in agony. Cerberus stands up and growls, slowly stalking through the mud towards the man. The man shrieks again as he sees Cerberus stalking near; he runs back into the mud and does not leave again. His plaintive wails fill the air and the dryad turns and gives Jareth a glare.

Feeling unsettled he turns away from the sight and catches up to Merowech who is waiting for him ahead.

"Will these spirits ever be freed of their torment?"

"They might but there is no telling, the gods do as they wish and we are all pawns in their games."

A narrow arch-way appeared and at this point the weather had went back to that dull dry wind. A gollum was perched upon the wall and leered down at them, "living flesh and living bone, why don't you just go home?" He then began to cackle madly and scurried away.

There were giants rolling boulders, crashing against one another. They were sowing the ground with souls, in-between the boulders huddled groups of spirits. The ground was flattened and as Jareth looked down he could see remains of faces or limbs. He looked up at his father in horror and in turn they both walked swiftly though this terrain. Finally their feet came upon a dusty trail and they both let out a sigh of relief.

Sand and stone lay askew on a beach. Crashing waves and more faces of torment were seen about. Vixens came from the sky laughing with glee, poking their talons into the restless souls. If souls could bleed true blood and die, this would be the ocean of the dead.

The boatsmen came again shrouded in his billowing smoke. He raised out his hand and Merowech handed him more gold coins. Across the other side of the sea, blue-green flames could be seen licking the sides of great stone towers. There was a city of ruin, an ancient place pulled down by the gods to punish the humans above.

* * *

A/N: I'll stop it here for now, I may add a bit more and then continue on with Chapter 3.


End file.
